Sliver bobbin creel changing apparatus for spinning machine



9, 1966 MASAHIKO ARIGA ETAL 3,265,323

SLIVER BOBBIN CREEL CHANGING APPARATUS FOR SPINNING MACHINE Filed Sept. 9, 1.964 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. I

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7373: 5mm; INVENTORJ United States Patent 3,265,323 SLIVER BOBBIN CREEL CHANGING APPARATUS FOR SPINNING MACHINE Masahiko Ariga, Amagasaki-shi, Takeji Arai, Toyonakashi, and Tatsuo Tarumi, Oshaka-shi, Japan, assignors to O-M Ltd., Osaka-shi, Japan Filed Sept. 9, 1964, Ser. No. 395,183

2 Claims. (Cl. 242- 131) The present invention relates to a sliver bobbin creel changing apparatus associated with textile machinery particularly a spinning frame, which is so arranged that all the sliver bobbins suspended from a sliver bobbin creel or support board are simultaneously changed with new full sliver bobbins at a predetermined time, for example, when the supply slivers on the first mentioned sliver bobbins are almost consumed.

Oonventionally, such sliver bobbin changing operation in spinning frames has been effected manually by operators. That is, the conveyance of full sliver bobbins from the preceding process, for example, a flyer frame to a spinning frame is operated by hand \or by using a manual cart, and the mounting of the conveyed bobbins'onto the creel of the spinning frame is effected in site by operators carrying these bobbins one-bybne to the bobbin operative position on the creel. Consequently, the conventionally practised sliver bobbin changing operation in spinning frames has been extremely inefficient.

An object of the present invention is to effect an efficient bobbin changing operation, wherein a creel or support board is rem-ovably mounted above a spri-nning frame so that when all the sliver bobbins suspended from said creel are consumed the creel together with such empty bobbins is changed with a new creel which has new full sliver bobbins suspended therefrom prepare-d in advance in a preparation station remote from the spinning frame, thus achieving a simultaneous change of bobbins with increased efficiency.

- Another object of the invention is to provide a novel apparatus of the described nature which greatly cuts down manpower necessary in changing creels, by so arranging that the removal and mounting and conveyance of creels are all effected by an overhead travelling crane.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel sliver bobbin support structure or creel assembly incorporating bar and stay members, which is light weight, simple in construction and easy to operate.

The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to a preferred embodiment of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a spinning frame to which is applied a device embodying the present invention, with other parts of said spinning frame than its draft region and yarn winding region being omitted for simplification purposes;

FIG. 2 is a front view of FIG. 1, with said spinning frame omitted; and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a portion of the device.

Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a spinning frame 1 having y-ar-n bobbins 2 and 2 arranged on either side of the frame and equispaced along the full length of the frame. The spinning frame includes draft parts 3 and 3 arranged above the corresponding yarn bobbins 2 and 2 The other mechanisms of the spinning frame are omitted in illustration for simplification purposes. Full sliver bobbins 4 4 4 and 4 are suspended from a creel positioned above the frame and are arranged corresponding to the yarn bobbins 2 and '2 on either side of the frame. Thus, in FIG. 3 the full sliver bobbins 4 and 4 correspond to the yarn bobbins 2 shown on the right of the figure, while the full sliver bobbins 4 and 4 on the other side correspond to the yarn bobbins 2 on the left "ice ' side of the figure. Slivers 5 5 and 5 S drawn respectively from the sliver bobbins 4 4 and 4 4 are respectively gathered together as shown in FIG. 1 and are drafted to be wound on the yarn bobbins 2 and 2 after passing through their corresponding draft sections 3 and 3 The above-mentioned mode of operation applies to each of below the top end thereof is formed at its upper surface with a conical surface 8. A stay member 9 has projecting arms 10 and 10 of the same shape on both sides thereof. At the central portion of the stay -9 is formed a boss sleeve having a longitudinal, vertical opening 12 of such a diameter that the upper portion of the pillar 6, i.e., a portion 6' above the metal fixture 7 may just pass therethrough. Further, the boss sleeve is provided at the lower open end surface thereof with a mating conical surface 13 which engages the conical surface 8 of the metal fixture 7.

As many stay members of the described structure as the pillars are mounted on the pillars so as to intersect with the frame at right angles. These stay members are connected together at their lower surfaces to form a unitary support structure or framework by means of bar members 14 14 14 and 14., extending along the full length of the frame. In the drawings, such bars are shown as totalling four, two of them secured to the lower surface of the projecting arm 10 on one side and the other two to the lower surface of the opposite projecting arm 10 on the other side. Grippers 15 15 15 15 for gripping the sliver bobbins are provided secured to the lower surfaces of the bars so as to correspond to the yarn bobbins on the frame. Such grippers may be any conventional ones such as those used in the known full yarn bobbin changing apparatus. Accordingly, it is believed that a more detailed description of the structure of such grippers is unnecessary.

From the foregoing, it is seen that the same number of stays as pillars are assembled by four bars in a framework fashion and grippers each for their respective sliver bobbins necessary [for one spinning frame are provided to said bars in position corresponding to the spindles of the frame, thereby constituting a novel creel or sliver bobbin support structure. Such creel is normally held by the metal fixtures on the pillars, and can be removed therefrom when necessary. Shafts 16 and 16 extend through the free ends of the projecting arms of all stay members and are adapted to be rotatable in a predetermined amount of angles. These two rotatable shafts are provided with a number of books 22 and 2-2 secured thereto at both ends thereof and at other suitable positions midway between the ends. Each of the hooks is formed at its end with a notch 17 positioned on the inner side edge thereof. A handle 18 is secured to the end portion of the rotatable shaft 16 By operating the handle at a predetermined time, both of the rotary shaft can be simultaneously turned in mutually opposite directions. Thus, the rotatable shaft to which is secured the handle is provided with a rod or crank lever 19 secured thereto. Similarly, a second rod or crank arm lever 20- corresponding to the first arm lever 19 is secured to the rotatable shaft. In addition, the directions in which these arm levers 19 and 20 are projected are different from each other, as shown, and these arm levers are interconnected by means of a link 21. Therefore, when the handle is turned in the Patented August 9, 1966 shown in dot-and-dash line-s, the rotatable shaft 16 is turned in the same direction a which, in turn, causes the rotation of the arm lever 19 also in the same direction. The rotation of said arm lever 19 causes the rotatable shaft 16 to be rotated through the medium of the link 21 and the other arm lever 20 in the direction of arrow b, i.e., in a direction opposite to that of the rotatable shaft 16 When the rotatable shafts v16 and 16 are thus rotated in opposite directions, the hooks 22 and 22 which are so far depending are outwardly swung to assume lateral positions shown in dot-and-dash lines in FIG. 3, whereupon they are locked by a suitable locking means (not shown). A pair of doffer rails 23 and 23 extend on either side of the frame along the full length thereof, and are suspended from an overhead travelling crane (not shown) by means of wires 24 and 24 The dotfer rails can be freely raised and lowered at a predetermined time by thehoist of the crane. Engagement members 25 and 25 secured to the upper surface of the dolfer rails are provided in such positions that they may engage the hooks 2'2 and 22 when the rails are lowered. It is understood that there are as many such engagement members as the hooks. The engagement members have protuberances 26 and 26 formed on the upper surfaces thereof and having such sizes and configurations that they may snugly fit in the notches of the hooks. In addition, instead of additionally providing such dolfer rails, the known yarn bobbin changing rails for a spinning frame may concurrently serve as the dofler rails. v

v In operation, when the sliver bobbins on the creel of a certain spinning frame become empty, the overhead travelling crane is called out to that spinning frame, whereupon the wires 24 and 24 are drawn out until the dolfer rails25 and 25 assume the positions just below the hooks 22 and 22 When the dotfer rails thus assume their lower or operative positions, the handle of the rotatable shaft is rota-ted to cause the hooks to be horizontally projected on both sides, as shown by the dotanddash lines in FIG. 3. The doffer rails are then raised so that the protuberances 26 and 26 of the engagement members 25 and 25 are brought into engagement with the notches 17 of the hooks 22 and 22 thereby pulling out the creel assembly from the pillars to. raise all the empty sliver bobbins at a time. Thus, the crane carrying therewith the creel assembly having the empty sliver bobbins suspended therefrom is transferred to its waiting station, where it changes the creel with a new one having full sliver bobbins suspended therefrom prepared in ad- Vance and is then conveyed to the spinning frame to deliver the new creel to the latter. It is preferable to provide pillars at the waiting or preparation station, thereby facilitating the reception of returned creels and the storage of prepared creels.

It should be understood that although a particular embodiment of the apparatus of the invention has been described for the purpose of illustration, this invention in cludes all modifications and equivalents of the described apparatus which fall Within the scope of the appended claims.

What we claim is:

1. A sliver bobbin creel changing apparatus for a spinning machine, comprising a sliver bobbin support assembly removably mounted above the spinning machine and on top of upright pillars centrally arranged longitudinally of said spinning machine, said support assembly being provided with gripper means for holding sliver bobbins suspended therefrom, and hook means operatively connected to means including rods and links for displacing said hook means to a doffer rail-engaging position, and a doffing mechanism adapted to be horizontally movable above said support assembly and having doffer rails adapted to be lowered to the above-mentioned position to engage said hook means thereby to raise said sliver bobbin support assembly.

2. A sliver bobbin creel changing apparatus for a spinning machine, comprising a number of upright pillars equispaced on the center line of the spinning machine, a number of stay members supported on the top ends of said pillars, a number of bar members, said stay and bar members being integrally interconnected, sliver bobbin grippers arranged on the lower surfaces of said bar members, rods extending through the ends of each of said stay members, a number of books secured to said rods, said machine comprising crane suspended doffer rails, and said doifer rails comprising engagement members arranged for engagement with said hooks.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,391,295 12/1945 Cotchett 242-13l.1 3,074,667 1/1963 Keyser 242-131 FRANK I. COHEN, Primary Examiner. LEONARD D. CHRISTIAN, Examiner. 

1. A SLIVER BOBBIN CREEL CHANGING APPARATUS FOR A SPINNING MACHINE, COMPRISING A SLIVER BOBBIN SUPPORT ASSEMBLY REMOVABLY MOUNTED ABOVE THE SPINNING MACHINE AND ON TOP OF UPRIGHT PILLARS CENTRALLY ARRANGED LONGITUDINALLY OF SAID SPINNING MACHINE, SAID SUPPORT ASSEMBLY BEING PROVIDED WITH GRIPPER MEANS FOR HOLDING SLIVER BOBBINS SUSPENDED THERFROM, AND HOOK MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO MEANS INCLUDING RODS AND LINKS FOR DISPLACING SAID HOOK MEANS TO A DOFFER RAIL-ENGAGING POSITION, AND A DOFFING MECHANISM ADAPTED TO BE HORIZONTALLY MOVABLE ABOVE SAID SUPPORT ASSEMBLY AND HAVING DOFFER RAILS ADAPTED TO BE LOWERED TO THE ABOVE-MENTIONED POSITION TO ENGAGE SAID HOOK MEANS THEREBY TO RAISE SAID SLIVER BOBBIN SUPPORT ASSEMBLY. 